Information seeking and collaborative decision-making behaviour in consultancy project teams: a network theoretic viewpoint

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulafa Badi ◽  
Hanxiao Ji ◽  
Edward G. Ochieng
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Collaborative Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Collaborative Decision

PurposeThis study aims to examine how embeddedness influences consultants' information seeking when making decisions within a social network of relationships, and how these social networks evolve throughout the project delivery stages. The study is grounded in social network theory and examines embeddedness from three perspectives: structural (network cohesion), relational (tie strength in terms of friendship and knowledge awareness) and actor prominence.Design/methodology/approachA social network analysis (SNA) questionnaire was administered to a team of consultants working on a management consultancy project in Shanghai, China. The SNA measures of density, degree centrality and betweenness centrality were used to analyse relationship patterns among project team members, permitting comparison between the networks. Networks were also compared across the three project delivery stages of collect, consider and create.FindingsStructural embeddedness was observed in the active information seeking behaviour among consultancy team members. The moderate network density of the self-organising information seeking networks across the project delivery stages ensures that the team remains connected but avoids information redundancy and overload. Relational embeddedness was evident through the multiplexity of ties among team members with overlapping friendship and information seeking relationships. The knowledge awareness network's sparseness indicates a team of autonomous knowledge workers with distributed expertise. Project managers were the most prominent actors across the three project delivery stages, underlining these actors' relational leadership role.Practical implicationsThe study provides a deeper understanding of collaborative decision-making behaviours in dynamic-project environments. Limited attempts have been made to visualise and analyse the relationships involved in small consulting teams. The novelty of the network approach adopted stems from its ability to offer a structural view of the relationship among consultants, thus offering a distinctive and arguably more complete picture of consultancy team dynamics.Originality/valueThe study validates the social network theory of embeddedness in a real-world collaborative decision-making setting and provides a deeper understanding of information seeking behaviours for decision-making in dynamic-project environments. From a project management process viewpoint, the evolving nature of the information seeking network as it changes across the project stages with associated actors' roles was also visualised graphically, offering a distinctive and arguably more complete picture of consultancy team dynamics.

Alliance portfolios and firm performance: the moderating role of environmental dynamics

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (8) ◽  
pp. 1550-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyan Wang ◽  
Haijun Bao
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Alliance Portfolios

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the operation strategy of high-performance alliance portfolios by analyzing the effect of alliance portfolios on the performance of focal firms, using post-structuralism of social network theory and contingency theory. In detail, this paper refines alliance portfolios into three dimensions, and studies the moderating role of context on the relation between alliance portfolios and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The empirical study was carried out with second-hand data gathered from Internal Revenue Service. In total, this paper gathered data from 506 focal firms in Zhejiang Province from 2001 to 2010 as the sample to test the hypotheses. Findings Based on the empirical results, the authors find the positive effect of relational dimension (weak alliance portfolios) and partner dimension (the diversity of partners) on performance. The effect of the former will become weaker with the increasing environmental dynamic, while the effect of the latter will become stronger. However, the structural dimension (alliance portfolios size) and relational dimension (new partners) have the negative effect on performance. And the negative effect will become stronger under high environmental dynamic. Moreover, the negative effect of non-local partners on performance becomes stronger when the environmental dynamic is high. Research limitations/implications The paper reveals that with the industry transformation caused by “internet +,” companies have been required go beyond traditional dyadic alliance management perspective. That is to say, individual alliance relationship should be seen as a part of a much broader picture of alliance portfolio. As such, the framework may help companies to manage their alliance portfolios by matching high-performance alliance portfolios to the external environment to produce a synergistic effect (Lea et al., 2006; Tritos et al., 2013; Keith et al., 2014) taking the characteristics of the configuration of alliance portfolios into consideration. Originality/value The paper presents a model that explains the effect of three dimensions of alliance portfolios on the performance of focal firms in different contexts through empirical study. This paper also integrates post-structuralism of social network theory and contingency theory to enable the understanding on the configuration of alliance portfolios.

Migration and outward FDI: a double direction approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Alcaraz ◽  
Elizabeth Salamanca
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Social Network ◽  
North America ◽  
International Migration ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify, based on social network theory, the relationship between the direction of international migration (immigration/emigration) and the international movement of enterprises and their location. Design/methodology/approach A traditional gravity model and the Tobit estimation method are applied to three groups of countries from three different regions: Latin America, North America and the European Union. The study considers a period from 2001 to 2012. Findings The main results suggest that the international migration that goes from the European Union and North America to Latin America is related with the firms’ internationalization and their respective location. Practical implications Given that migration can be an important and reliable source of information, trust and knowledge, managers should see it as a “bridge” between the home and host countries, which, in turn, can increase their competitive advantage. Social implications Governments can learn how migration and outward foreign direct investment interact. In addition, they could develop political frameworks to accurately and effectively manage international migration (immigration and emigration) and FDI in the best interests of the stakeholders. Originality/value This study extends the social network theory by suggesting that networks are not only related with firms’ expansion abroad but as well with their location. This statement could be generalizable as long as emigration/networks (ethnic ties) are considered the links between the home and the host country.

The antecedents of creative article diffusion on blogs

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiu-Hua Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Innovation Diffusion ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Diffusion Theory ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Network Data ◽  
Innovation Diffusion Theory ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Bloggers often create digital content. Diffusion of the creative articles can make many bloggers or readers visit blog platforms. Restated, diffusion of the creative articles can assist blog service providers (BSPs) to retain bloggers and attract new bloggers. Thus, the research is conducted on creative article diffusion on blogs based on innovation diffusion theory and social network theory. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach In this study, an information system was used to collect 250 creative articles and social network data of these creative articles. Validity of the specific study hypotheses is tested by using multi-regression analysis. Findings Analytical results indicate both observability and network density positively affect creative article diffusion, and ties-strength negatively affects creative article diffusion. Research limitations/implications Since the interpersonal interactive mechanism of blogs differs from that of social network websites, bloggers establish different social networks which may influence innovation diffusion. However, different websites may have different interpersonal interactive mechanisms. Therefore, the results of this study should not be over-generalized. Practical implications For diffusing information, BSPs may focus on blog articles with trackback rate below 10 percent among the friends-bloggers network and advertise these articles to make their trackback rate increase to 10-20 percent to reach the self-sustaining status. This strategy ensures the largest payoff from creative article diffusion. Originality/value This study contributes to the knowledge of social network and innovation diffusion on blog website and develops a model explaining how antecedents influence creative article diffusion.

Foregrounding the role of relationships in reform

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 819-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Hwa Liou ◽  
Alan J. Daly ◽  
Chris Brown ◽  
Miguel del Fresno
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The role of relationships in the process of leadership and change is central, yet the social aspect of the work of reform is often background in favor of more technical approaches to improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to argue that social network theory and analysis provides a useful theory and set of tools to unpack the complex social work of leadership. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper the authors begin by reviewing social network theory in education to date. The authors identify strengths and gap areas and use findings and data from existing social network studies of educational leadership to highlight major concepts. Findings – Along with empirical examples, the paper proposes four important strands of social network analysis for future research in educational leadership: multiplex networks; multi-mode networks; longitudinal networks; and real time networks. Originality/value – This paper builds on recent scholarship using social network analysis in educational leadership and suggests that social network theory and methods provides unique and important analytic purchase in the study of educational leadership.

Social capital dimensions and employee creativity: Does cognitive style matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-21
Author(s):  
Rahma Oussi ◽  
Wafi Chtourou
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Cognitive Style ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Structural Dimension ◽  
Employee Creativity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social

Purpose This study aims to investigate the theoretical limitations of the social network theory applied on employee creativity. Design/methodology/approach By combining the social network theory and componential model of creativity, this study studies the possible impact of social capital through its three dimensions (structural, relational and cognitive dimension) on individual creativity, to explore then the moderating effect of cognitive style as individual characteristic on the structural dimension of social capital such weak ties and employee creativity. Findings The results show that, on a sample of 95 employees belonging to four companies in the IT sector, predictions based on the social network theory are only weakly verified. Indeed, the relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital do not have a significant impact on individual creativity. Originality/value Based on Kim et al.’s (2016) call for future research, this study extends the assumptions of the social network theory announcing that social capital through its structural dimension may have an identical impact on individual creativity in all circumstances.

scholarly journals The impact of collaborative decision-making on logistics service performance for container shipping services

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-191
Author(s):  
Po-Lin Lai ◽  
Dong-Taur Su ◽  
Hui-Huang Tai ◽  
Ching-Chiao Yang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Information Integration ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
External Information ◽  
Container Shipping ◽  
Collaborative Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Logistics Service ◽  
Collaborative Decision

Purpose The increasing demand for high-quality logistics services has forced container shipping firms to decrease logistics service failure to retain the customers. This study thus aims to apply organizational information processing theory (OIPT) to construct a maritime supply chain collaborative decision-making model and examine its impact on logistics service performance. Design/methodology/approach In total, 142 usable questionnaires were collected from questionnaire survey. A two-step structural equation modeling approach including confirmatory factor analysis was subsequently performed to test the hypotheses. Findings The results show that internal information integration positively impacts external information integration, that external information integration positively impacts collaborative decision-making, and that collaborative decision-making positively impacts logistics service performance for container shipping firms. However, a relationship between internal information integration and collaborative decision-making was not found in this study. Research limitations/implications This study primarily examines collaborative decision-making from the view of container shipping firms. Future research including other supply chain members is needed to generalize the results and could also incorporate other factors such as relationship quality and culture, into the model to address this issue. Practical implications To decrease the occurrence of logistics failures and improve service quality in the maritime logistics process, it is suggested that container shipping firms apply information technology for acquiring and assimilating logistics information internally and externally across the supply chain to facilitate decision-making. Originality/value This study contributes to the knowledge about the antecedents and impacts of collaborative decision-making for container shipping firms in Taiwan. Particularly, in line with OITP, the findings indicate that container shipping firms can facilitate logistics decision-making and strategy formulation through information integration, which in turn enhances logistics service performance.

Ethnic networks and multinational firms’ location decisions

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-298
Author(s):  
Jorge Alcaraz ◽  
Elizabeth Salamanca ◽  
Otto Regalado-Pezúa
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Social Network ◽  
North America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Location Decisions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethnic Networks

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of ethnic networks on firms’ location decisions using social network theory and the homophily principle. Design/methodology/approach A traditional gravity model is used on a sample composed of high-skilled and low-skilled ethnic networks and multinational enterprises (MNEs) from Latin America, North America and the European Union. Findings Contrary to findings of previous studies, ethnic networks do not appear to influence location decisions of Latin American firms expanding into countries from North America and the European Union. This might be because of weak ethnic connections among the players. Practical implications Managers must be aware that ethnic networks not always can be used for the strategy of the firm, at least regarding location. Social implications Governments and entrepreneurial and immigrant associations from home and host countries could develop initiatives addressed to strengthening the links between the members of the networks. Originality/value This study extends the social network theory in the sense that ethnic networks do not always positively affect firms’ location. Moreover, it is important to consider the specific context or features of the members of a network before analyzing its effects on firms’ location.

How entrepreneurial team heterogeneity impacts decision-making performance? An input-process-output approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhipeng Zhang ◽  
Li Zhu ◽  
Gong Chen ◽  
Lu Shang ◽  
Qiuyun Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Team Interaction ◽  
Team Decision Making ◽  
Team Heterogeneity ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Entrepreneurial Team ◽  
Team Decision

Purpose Existing studies mostly rely on the static characteristics of team members, and there is still a lack of empirical investigation on how entrepreneurial team members make decisions through dynamic team process and how team members’ cognition influences team decision-making. The purpose of this study is to validate how entrepreneurial team heterogeneity affects team decision-making performance from the perspective of dynamic team process. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the theory of input-process-output model, this study proposed and examined the mediating role of team interaction as well as the moderating role of proactive socialization tactics in the relationship between entrepreneurial team heterogeneity and decision-making performance. Based on a sample of 162 entrepreneurial teams that include pairing superiors and subordinates, hierarchical regressions and moderated mediation tests were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The research results show that the heterogeneity of entrepreneurial teams is positively correlated with both team interaction and decision-making performance. Team interaction plays a mediating role between entrepreneurial team heterogeneity and decision-making performance; information seeking of proactive socialization tactics moderates the impact of entrepreneurial team heterogeneity on team interaction. Originality/value Contributing to the literature on entrepreneurial team decision-making performance, this study identifies that proactive socialization tactics with a high level of information seeking can help entrepreneurial team members respond to environmental and organizational changes more effectively during team development and increase the effectiveness of team interaction. This finding helps us better understand the mechanism and context under which entrepreneurial heterogeneity may enhance the team’s decision-making performance.

Consumer behavior in the online context

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Cummins ◽  
James W. Peltier ◽  
John A. Schibrowsky ◽  
Alexander Nill
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Network Theory ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
User Generated Content ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Consumer Behavior ◽  
Online Consumer

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to review the consumer behavior and social network theory literature related to the online and e-commerce context. Design/methodology/approach – To conduct the review, the authors draw on a sample of 942 articles published from 1993 to 2012 addressing consumer behavior or social network issues in the online or social media context. The sample is analyzed by both era (incubation, expansion and explosion) and primary topic. Findings – Eight categories of online consumer behavior research are described. In the order from largest to smallest, these are: cognitive issues, user-generated content, Internet demographics and segmentation, online usage, cross cultural, online communities and networks, strategic use and outcomes and consumer Internet search. Originality/value – The literature has been summarized in each category and research opportunities have been offered for consumer behavior and social network scholars interested in exploring the online context.

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